Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
September 12, 2015

Patients and staff of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) now have a renovated facility, equipped with modern technology, in which to operate.

During the past few months, the SICU underwent extensive renovations as a result of an initiative of the John Thompson Memorial Trust Fund, created by Thompson’s family from Northern Ireland following his death here from a mid-Atlantic yachting accident.

The Trust has purchased in excess of BDS $250, 000 of bedside monitoring and related clinical equipment and has been supported financially by several other donors.

Trustee and a member of the international business community Ronald Jones, speaking at a brief reopening ceremony of the unit, said work included the removal of all old cabinetry, fixtures and fittings and a complete renovation and redecoration of the facility, as well as the installation of new plumbing fixtures.

Trustee of the John Thompson Memorial Trust Fund Ronald Jones (right) and nursing officer Lisa Assgill viewing the new sign, designed by Jones, highlighting the rules of the Unit .

The makeover also included the addition of new electrical outlets at the bedsides, the tinting of all exterior windows, the cleaning and sanitizing of the AC system, the replacement of ceiling tiles and conversion of a meeting room into a video conference and training facility to accommodate up to 20 staff.

Jones also noted that the project has been an excellent example of how private enterprise and charitable organizations can work with the QEH to achieve significant changes for the benefit of staff and patients with a comparatively low budget. He said he hoped those who came to the unit would have a satisfactory experience, stressing the need for patients to feel comfortable as they heal.

The trustee who pledged the Fund’s continued support to the hospital, called on other charities and organizations to make similar efforts.

“When I look around and see what this ward is like now compared to what it was a few months ago, I am very pleased. I think the trust money was very well spent and I think we got a lot for our dollar,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr John Gill, a consultant neurosurgeon and a trustee of the Fund expressed gratitude for the upgrade, which he said enhanced the environment.

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8 thoughts on “Extreme makeover”

Tony Webster

Mr. Ronald Jones, I salute and thank you! I – and not a few other Bajans- are indebted to you and your philanthropic family, for this wonderful experession of kindness and simple humanity. God Bless you, and God Preserve the precious memories of your departed loved one.
BTW, thanks for showing our “Relevant Authorities”, something very important: namely, that we too can achieve much…PROVIDED we just engage brain, brawn, and back-bone…and manage our resources intelligently.

Mr. Ronald Jones, I salute and thank you! I – and not a few other Bajans- are indebted to you and your philanthropic family, for this wonderful experession of kindness and simple humanity. God Bless you, and God Preserve the precious memories of your departed loved one.
BTW, thanks for showing our “Relevant Authorities”, something very important: namely, that we too can achieve much…PROVIDED we just engage brain, brawn, and back-bone…and manage our resources intelligently.
Hope your current stay here with us is a happy and wonderful one.

Dear bajan politicians, this is part of what you all suppose to do, ..
think this would wake you guys up.
THE PEOPLE OF BARBADOS , MUST THANK MR,RONALD JONES AND HIS FAMILY AND IN RETURN MUST EXTEND TO HIM A FREE ANNUAL HOLIDAY IN BARBADOS.

Dear bajan politicians, this is part of what you all suppose to do, ..
think this would wake you guys up.
THE PEOPLE OF BARBADOS , MUST THANK MR,RONALD JONES AND HIS FAMILY AND IN RETURN MUST EXTEND TO HIM A FREE ANNUAL HOLIDAY IN BARBADOS.